Republicans scoff at Obama's call for spending cuts
The $100 million the president is seeking in savings is trivial compared to the trillions his budget request would add to the debt, GOP lawmakers say.
President Obama Monday ordered his Cabinet to scour their budgets over the next 90 days to identify an additional $100 million in spending cuts. The president's order came during the first formal Cabinet meeting of his term. Even before the meeting began, though, Republican leaders were dismissing Obama's call as insignificant.
"I appreciate the efforts to save millions by identifying unnecessary or duplicative government spending," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in a statement. "But let's not forget that at the same time they're looking for millions in savings, the president's budget calls for adding trillions to the debt."
In the House, Budget Committee ranking member Paul Ryan, R-Wis., contended that $100 million in savings represents only 13 minutes of federal spending. The White House did not dispute that there was symbolic impact from the president's order. But aides wanted to signal that spending would be watched.
Before the meeting, the White House released a number of areas where cuts have already begun in agriculture, education, homeland security, justice, transportation and veterans affairs.